Day 8 - Starting Life with a Dog

The second Sunday of class features no scheduled guide work. The intention is to give the instructors something of a weekend, and allow the clients time to relax and maintain. That being said, Sunday is a good introduction to the guide dog lifestyle.

Many people refuse to get a guide dog because they don’t want to handle the extra responsibility. Working as a member of a guide team brings many benefits, not least of which is safer travel. However, as the handler you put many things back into the relationship.

First, you help the dog with its basic needs. Dogs are typically on a twice-a-day feeding cycle. They are usually offered water four to five times a day. And, of course, all that food and water has to come out eventually. Dogs will usually be offered a bathroom break at least four times a day. While none of these are particularly difficult tasks, they do take time and dedication. You can expect that all of these tasks combined will take approximately thirty to forty-five minutes a day to complete. Every dog is different, and an experienced team may be faster than these projections.

Beyond the basic needs, dogs need other kinds of care. Keeping your dog happy means dedicating time to play, either with a toy or in a safe off-leash area. Additionally, you will need to keep your dog clean through grooming, teeth brushing, nail trimming, ear cleaning, and very infrequent (at most monthly) baths. Some of these tasks count toward relaxation for the dog as well, particularly grooming.

And, of course, the dog is not a machine. They will have health issues that need both preventatives to maintain wellness and emergent care for real problems. That being said, a well-cared-for dog will have very few emergency health problems throughout their working life. Keep the dog on weight, give it flea, tick, and heartworm preventatives, monitor its behaviors and environment, and you can expect your dog to stay healthy.

All of this, by the way, does not come without a very real monitary cost. You will be buying food, preventative medicines, toothpaste, nail trimming services, pick-up bags, and potentially other items on a reoccurring basis. You will also be buying durable items such as bowls, a food bin, toys, beds or crates, and replacements for most failed or lost equipment. Many of these count as tax deductions, but in the end they are real money coming out of your bank account.

There is no doubt that you dedicate resources, time, and energy into the animal that is now both a mobility aid and a companion. Only you can decide whether the improvements in your life are worth the added responsibility. I can tell you that all these tasks, seemingly extremely complicated in the beginning, become second nature. Will you have the occasional morning when you don’t want to get out of bed to feed and relieve your dog? Most certainly yes. And yet you do, because of two things. First, because everything that the dog gives into the relationship without fail is more than you will ever give. And second, because most dogs (particularly Labradors) won’t let you get away with not feeding on time.